Bjp To Field Own Candidate For Vice-President If Uf, Cong Team Up

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to go along with the consensus in the United Front (UF) and the Congress on Vice-president K R Narayanans elevation to the Presidents post. However, it is unlikely to allow the vice-presidential election to go uncontested if the UF and the Congress reach an agreement for this post as well.

Although the BJP would take a decision on the Presidential elections at its parliamentary board meeting on June 20, there were indications that the party may support Narayanan.

The Vice-President yesterday contacted former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the telephone and requested him for the BJPs support to his candidature. Vajpayee informed Narayanan that his request would be considered at the June 20 meeting.

Vajpayee was noncomittal, according to party spokesperson Yashwant Sinha.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was not surprised that the Congress and the UF reached an understanding on the presidential election without consulting the BJP, Sinha said.

This was only expected, he said, adding that the two parties have extended their plank of anti-BJPism to election of the countrys top executive.

The BJP wanted to have a wider consensus in order to avoid division on all issues. Isolation of the BJP by political parties and expansion of the BJP among the masses are two complementary phenomenon, he claimed.

The Congress and the United Front have indicated the continuance of the politics of untouchability, he said, and apprehended that this might continue even for the vice-presidential elections.

Sinha said that the BJP meeting would also discuss the vice-presidential elections.

However, a seniorBharatiya Janata Party leader asserted that the party might decide to contest the vice-presidential elections.

No persons claim for the vice-presidents post can be as strong as Narayanans claim for the Presidents post, he said, pointing out that elevation of vice-president to the top slot was natural.

Taking a dig at Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Najma Heptullahas candidature for the vice-presidents post, he said that there was no tradition of elevating the deputy chairperson to the vice-presidents post. Its a different ball game altogether.

There is a strong possibility of the BJP fielding its own candidate for the vice-presidents post even it means losing the contest. Senior party leader Sikander Bakht has reportedly expressed his desire to contest and the BJP is also willing.

In case there was no consensus in the Congress and the UF, the Bharatiya Janata Party might decide to opt out a neutral candidate from one of its allies, he said.